1. Field of the Invention
The disclosures herein relate to a power distribution apparatus for supplying electric power to a load.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various electrical equipments ranging from information technology equipment to household audio-visual equipment operate on a direct-current power supply. Since a commercial power supply is an alternate-current power supply, alternate-current to direct-current conversion is performed to supply electric power to such equipments, which results in conversion loss. Against this background, direct-current power feeding that supplies direct-current electric power to various electrical equipments has been attracting attention. Further, the control of on-and-off states of equipment through remote controlling has been expected to be put into practice for the purpose of energy conservation and efficient system utilization.
At the time of inserting a plug into or unplugging a plug from a socket for supplying power, the presence of zero-cross points at which an alternate-current voltage becomes zero voltage serves to suppress arc discharge. The absence of zero-cross points in direct-current power may readily cause generation of arc discharge, which may pose some danger.
In consideration of this, a power distribution apparatus may detect the connected and disconnected states of a plug to control power supply to a socket (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-146328, for example).
When direct-current power supply to various equipments is to be remote-controlled, extra caution should be exercised to supply power to these equipments by reliably detecting the connected or disconnected state of plugs with respect to sockets. For example, remote control may be performed to supply power to a socket while a plug is not inserted. In such a case, inserting the plug into the socket after supplying power from a direct-current power supply to the socket may create arc discharge.
Accordingly, it may be desired to provide a power distribution apparatus that can reliably prevent generation of arc discharge while allowing the supply of direct current to equipment to be remote-controlled.